Amateur Traveler Travel Podcast

The Amateur Traveler talks to Chris Rosenkrans from Pennsylvania about his trip to the country of Yemen. Chris started in the capital city of Sana’a which he thinks is one of the beautiful cities he has ever seen. Chris then recommends a trip to the Haraz mountains to see Shibam Hadhramaut (a shibam is a city built into the cliffs) and north to Kawkaban. In addition wander around Sana’a to some of the community gardens in the area. Chris did not make it to Socotra island where many of the scents like Frankincense come from. Yemen also does sport gun markets and khat markets to this has to qualify as adventure travel.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Lee from Atlanta about side trips that you can take when you travel to Shanghai this year for Expo 2010. Lee is currently living in China and talks about 3 different weekend trips to destinations that are located near Shanghai. Lee starts us the in history-rich city of Nanjing the site of “China’s Holocaust” in WW 2. Nanjing has been the capital for 6 different Chinese governments and still retains its ancient walls in addition to modern shopping and the tomb of Sun Yat-sen. It was also the location of the world’s worst civil war, the Taiping Rebellion. After Nanjing we explore the many gardens and the canals of Suzhou. Finally Lee takes us to Hangzhou with its beautiful West Lake which the Chinese compare to heaven.NewsSpirit Air to experiment with carry-on bag feesAirlines losing 3000 bags – every hour of every dayWomen try to smuggle dead relative onto flightPaying to use the plane potty?Ky. Judge Rules in Favor of Online Travel SitesShow NotesExpo 2010 Shanghai ChinaTravel to

The Amateur Traveler talks about a recent trip to Maui as the guest of the Maui Convention and Visitors Bureau. In this second half of a two part episode Chris talks about some of the local culture, food and festivals. He had a chance to explore his rancher roots at one of Maui’s cattle ranches, dine on local produce at some high end restaurants, mix with the locals at the Maui Ag Festival and learn more of Maui’s culture at the Celebration of the Arts.

The Amateur Traveler talks about a recent trip to Maui as the guest of the Maui Convention and Visitors Bureau. In this first half of a two part episode Chris gives an overview of the island and talks about the Hawai’i Nature Center, the beaches and the road to Hana. Learn about swimming or hiking in lava tubes, hidden beaches and some of the naive plants of Maui.Show NotesVisit Maui BlogRainfall map of MauiWailea Beach Marriott Resort & SpaThe Ritz-Carlton, KapaluaKamehameha IHawaiian LanguageBeaches:    * Makena (big beach)    * Chang’s Beach    * ‘Ahihi Bay    * Maluaka Beach    * Wai’ anapanapa State Park    * Ka’eleku Caverns

The Amateur Traveler talks to John Clayton about a recent trip to Wales. John was the host of a radio travel show called “Travel with a Difference” for 16 years in the Los Angeles area and was invited to Wales by the Wales Tourism board. John is a train buff and was invited to ride on the restored narrow guage railroads of Wales which were built originally to carry slate from the Wales slate mines. He road the Mount Snowdon, West Highlands and Ffestiniog railways. John also recommends touring the slate mine at Llanberis. We also visit Port Meirion which will look familiar to fans of the TV show The Prisoner. Also find out what Bed and Breakfast you can stay at where some of the Royals used to live.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Mike from Toronto who is living in Japan as part of an exchange program Mike talks to use about the Chugoku or middle region of Japan. Mike starts us out in Hiroshima with its world famous peace park and atomic bomb museum and its lesser known shopping and izakaya eateries. After we sample the okonomiyaki at okonomiyaki mura Mike sends us off to see the red Torii gate on Miyajima island. Mike recommends getting the Japanese railway pass because of the expensive local transportation. Mike then directs us to Yamaguchi which is known for its onsens (hot baths), 5 story temple and the church of Francis Xavier. Hagi which is a preserved walled town is our next stop. Hagi is Mike’s favorite spot in Japan. Hagi is also where many of the modernization movement came from.

The Amateur Traveler talks to George Wendt from Oars.com about white water rafting down the Grand Canyon which is one of Chris’s dream vacations. The Grand Canyon can be traversed in motor pontoon boats, oars rafts, paddle boats or dories. Each has different advantages and disadvantages. The water is fast and cold and the rapids get up to class 5. All the while you are drifting through one of the wonders of the world with massive red stone walls on either side. You come around the corner and are surprised by waterfalls and a green oasis. You explore the side canyons where you can see fossils and the ruins of the ancient people who called this canyon home.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Betty from Betty in the Sky with a Suitecase about her recent trip to Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah) to see the orangutans and proboscis monkeys. Betty flew into Kuching in Sarawak and started in the Demai beach area where she stayed in a treehouse. She saw the Probiscus Monkeys at Bako National Park and the Bat “fireworks” at Mulu National Park. Betty also visited the market at Sandakan and snorkeled off the beaches at Mabul.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kathy from My Time To Travel about her recent trip to the Republic of Georgia. Kathy is a fan of mountains and Georgia has them in abundance because of its location between the Lesser and Greater Caucuses. She visited the Black Sea coast at Batumi, the capital of Tibilisi, the wine region, the cave city of Voronya and went part of the way up the legendary Georgia military highway into the Caucuses. Kathy talks about the history of Georgia and its location on the silk road, its religion and architecture.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Mike and Hillary of the SpotHopping blog about their trip to Easter Island / Rapa Nui in the South Pacific. They visited Easter Island as a stop on their round the world trip. Easter Island is a small destination and one of the most remote destinations in the world. When you are on the island the only other people within 2000 miles are the 50 people on Pitcairn island. Easter Island is, of course, known for its enigmatic Moai statues and Mike and Hillary were able to visit the quary where they were created. They also explored lava tube caves on the island.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Pauline Frommer again about tips for budget travel. We talk about booking tours and alternative places to stay instead of hotels. We talk about which travel destinations are inexpensive now and which ones have hidden fees. Learn where a travel expert takes her family on vacation.Pauline Frommer’s London and the second edition of Pauline Frommer’s New York City were named “Best Guidebook of the Year” by the North American Travel Journalists Association (2007 and 2008, respectively).NewsFree aiport wi-fiTravel Tip Tuesday : American Airlines Announces $8 BlanketsDirty HotelsThis Week in TravelShow NotesPauline FrommerPauline Frommer on Budget Travel – Episode 123Houe of the Redeemer in NYCUK Airports face chaos over departure tax riseArgentina Visa Fee To Hit Tourists Starting Jan 1ShoreTrips.comJamaica – Meet the PeopleTlaxcala, MexicoOaxaca, Mexico – Felipe the Weaver (part 1) – Video Episode 46Reciprocity in Brazil Tourist Visa Fees for American and CanadiansInternet Resourcesos

The Amateur Traveler talks to Stefanie Michaels (better known as @AdventureGirl) about a recent trip to the Marquesas Islands which are near Tahiti (or part of Tahiti depending on who you ask). Stefanie sailed on the freighter Aranui from Tahiti out to these remote islands. She encountered a warm people living in a tropical paradise… with very nice cars and nowhere to drive.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Madeline Jhawar from Italy Beyond the Obvious about life as a tour guide for an adventure travel company. Madeline was previously on the Amateur Traveler talking about Travel to Sicily. Madeline talks about her misconceptions about what being a tour guide would be like and the reality of keeping a group of people happy (and not lost). She guided hiking and biking tours primarily in Italy. What skills do you need to be a successful tour guide? It might not be what you think.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Joseph about his recent trip to Malawi in Southern Africa. Malawi is not know for its game parks like other countries in the region for for the relaxing shores of Lake Malawi as well as the lush green highlights. It is a country heavily influenced by David Livingstone and the Scottish Presbyterian church and one benefit of this legacy is welcoming church guest houses to stay in. So join Joseph and I as we talk about the people, the politics and the minibuses of Malawi.

The Amateur Traveler talks to photographer Ralph Velasco about tips to keep in mind when you are taking pictures on your travels. We talk about:    * telling a story    * depth of field    * giving your self assignments    * giving a sense of scale    * adding a human touch    * reflections    * avoiding the crowds    * embracing the weather    * seeking the unique picture    * capturing the essence of a place

The Amateur Traveler talks to Nancy Sathre-Vogel from FamilyOnBikes.com about their odyssey – a bike ride with two young boys along the length of the Pan-American highway from Alaska to the southern end of South America. Learn why they did this trip, how they have managed it and what they have learned along the way.

I talk about my recent trip to Berlin and Prague in December. This trip was just after the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and 20 years after my last trip to Berlin. We will look at a 3 hour free walking tour of Berlin and at a paid private tour of Prague (a gift from OurExplorer.com). We will talk about the history of World War II, Communism and even the Hussite Wars. We will talk about the Christmas markets which are everywhere in both cities in December with their booths, crafts, food and mulled wine. I will tell you of some of the sites of these cities including museums, castles, churches, memorials, and even an Art Nouveau stain glass window in a very old yet also very new cathedral.

The Amateur Traveler travels to Geneva and experiences the Escalade which celebrates the defeat of the Savoy in 1602. Geneva is the home to many UN agencies, an old town, a cathedral and an excellent rare book collection. You can also find lots of ways to eat melted cheese and other Swiss treats on the shore of beautiful Lake Geneva. In this unusual episode Chris overcomes a technical microphone difficulty to record an episode on the road. This episode inlcudes some of the sounds of the Escalade festival.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Ilana Fayerman from Project Explorer about Johannesburg, South Africa. Project Explorer creates educational videos for kids and Ilana is one of the video hosts. She traveled to Johannesburg to meet its people, experience its culture and eat something very weird (see picture). She will take us on a virtual tour of neighborhoods like Newtown where she will introduce us to the New Market Theatre. She will take us into the township of Soweto. Out of the poverty of Soweto has come some of the hope of South Africa. It boasts the only street in the world (Vilakazi Street) to have produced two winners of the Nobel Peace prize. Ilana will also tell us which game animal is the tastiest and what happens when you put too much Chakalaka on your pap. We will dance in gum boots, take a safari to KwaZulu-Natal, learn when you can join a drum circle, lunch with art and visit the cradle of Human Kind.

Amateur Traveler talks to Matt Kepkes of NomadicMatt.com about his trip to the ancient capitals of Thailand: Ayutthaya, Lopburi and Sukhothai. Before the capital moved to Bangkok it was in each of these three cities as invaders came in from what is now Cambodia and Burma and then were subsequently repelled. Instead of taking the night train to Chang Mai as many tourists do, Matt and his traveling companions explored these cities on the way. In their travels they found ancient temples (some in ruins and some well preserved), wonderful night markets, troops of monkeys, friendly people and a slice of rural Thailand.